Device for controlling flow in pipe lines



Jan. 19, 1954 J. T. CRONKHITE 2,666,445

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING FLOW IN PIPE LINES Filed July 28, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet l 49 g; O I 47 g $26 Zhwentor (Ittmegs Jan. 19, 1954 r J.T. CRONKHITE 2,666,445

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING now in PIPE LINES Filed July 28,' 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 5 It. i gl (Kii Summon:

attorney Patented Jan. 19,

OFF ICE inEvIoE I01: CONTROLLING FLOW 1N iIuhnJIK' Cronkhite,Tulsa,0kla.

'deViQ- f o i q r'exami e. i h heating a. battery for new producing areaQwith Ia. sticeiimplil o V tabipelline ;=.to. provide.acontro1. devicewhichhas bberat ihglmeans efieeting .unseat'ng thejshutofi valve; to.profvi'dei and nsatinggnec anism that. is lunzifteqted byarid,{151wt'tedf' fro ud-and;waten-andv ther anon, dr heishutofiivalvenand to V seang mechanism .which also iservesqasa gllldYPl? ,theccheck, valve elementof establish 30 internally threaded branch 1 for connectionwith11119133, 1950,,Serial1No.1163 4 sms. (01.3137-198) 2-is-a'perspectiveview of the lower section or the valve "housing, the check valve member,andthe valve seat and'shutofi valve guide-shown "in disassembled spacedrelation with a portion of "the lower housing-section broken away tobetter 'illns t'rate the valve unseating device.

fFigfi-S-isa perspective view of the parts'composing-the operatingmeansand the housing-for the shutoff valveunseating device.

Fig. Lisa side 'elvationalview of the lower "portion-of 'thej'controldevice, a part being shown "in vertical section and illustrating thecheck valve member ,in'seated position and thetank fiow shutofi valvememberin open position. Referring morejin detail'tothe drawings:

I I designates a portion of a pipe line'through which a liquid'petroleumis caused -to"fiow by gravity "from a {field tank or battery of tanks"(not shown) to agathering lineZleadingto the suctionconneotion of apump (not showm'iby 6.3. essible ,above ground Jior 'whi=chthe liquidisdischarged underpressure to afpipejline leading to distant loading docksfor "other' pla'ces' of storage. Connected between the "terminal"of'theipipe line I and the inlet off the 25-pipef2' is anautomatic flOWcontrol device '3 embodying thegfeatures of the present invention.fi'lheqdevice 3'inc1udes 'a valve body or casing "4,".which for; ease'0f .'assemb1y is composed ofjia. T=sha.pedisection '5 anda lowerL-shaped section :6. ji'Ihe s'ectionfi'has a laterally extending aridthe pipe I and upper and lower' internally lthreadedbranches1'8 and 19for receiving the lthreaded end of a tube and the section? respectively.The L -shapedsection'ii of thecashingfinclndes a verticalhbranch IIprovidedwith external threads engagingjthe internal threads ,of .thelower branch 9, 215 best .ShoWnIin'Fig SYI an,d.;4, and a lateralbranchI2 that is provided .With external .Tthreads for connecting thepipe 2Qby m'eanS Offa s iitable couplingof the lilge i3. T'Carrie'd iby one ofthe sections of the casing, tor ex m b s iv t fii a eat n n 1 fo me-ao!5 throu whi i d rom th ipe mg may b he nany threaded'iand ring I I incircular series about the collar and seat H are upstanding guide fingers22. The fingers are for guiding a shutoff valve 23 into closing relationwith the port I upon absence of liquid within the float chamber, as whenthe tank is empty, so that the pump cannot draw air or vapors from thetank into the pipe line. The shutoff valve 23 is constructed to bebuoyant in the liquid and when disengaged from its seat rises upwardlywithin the liquid and floats thereon within the float chamber 23, asillustrated in,

Fig. 1, Where the valve is out of the way of flow of liquid from thepipe I.

4 permit removal of the working parts of the vent or bleeder. The plughas an internally threaded opening 48 for mounting a fitting 49 having aneck portion 59 depending within the upper end of the float chamber tomount the bleeder valve body 5I having an axial passage 52 in connectionwith an axial port 53 in the fitting 49. Formed within the body '5 I isa downwardly facing conical valve seat 54 that is adapted to be engagedby a conical valve 55 on a rod 56 that is slidably mounted in an axialbore 51 formed in a plug 58 As above mentioned, the casing of thecontrol device is usually located below ground and is provided withmeans to effect unseating of the float valve 23 from above ground. Thisis ef-' fected by a lifting member 24 having a'shank/ portion 25reciprocable within a stuffing box 26 that is carried by the lateralbranch II of the lower casing section Ii. The stuffing box includes acollar 21 that is welded in encircling relation with an opening 28 thatpasses the shank 25 of the lifting device therethrough. The collar 21 isinternally threaded for mounting a packing nut 29 that compresses apacking 30 about the shank portion of the rod and prevents leakage ofliquid through the opening 28. The lower end of the shank 25 terminatesina laterally extending arm Since the shank 25 of the lifting membermust terminate close to the housing in order to permit easy insertionthereof, an extension rod is necessary to permit operation from aboveground.

The extension is connected with the rod by a coupling 36 and the upperend has a'T-shaped handle 31. It is desirable to provide a housing forthe rod 35 in the form of a pipe 38 which has its lower end threadedinto an external collar 39 encircling the stufling box as best shown inFig. 1. The pipe 38 is of sufficient length to extend above the groundand its upper end is closed by a cap 40 having an opening II therein forpassing the actuating rod. In order to retain the finger in retractedposition, the rod 35 carries a coil spring 42 having one end seated onthe coupling 36 and the other end bearing against the under side of thecap 40.

As above stated, certain of the tanks may be located at higher levels,and in order to prevent back flow into the line I I provide a buoyantcheck valve member 43 that is slidably mounted on the finger 32 and hasa valving face 44 at its upper end adapted to engage the seat I9 andstop reverse flow of liquid. In order to prevent leakage through thecheck member 43, the valve 7 The arm i r closing the lowercend of thebleeder. Formed in the sides of the'bleeder body and immediately belowthe valve seat 54 are a plurality of inlet ports 55 for gases whichcollect within the upper portion of the float chamber and which gasesare discharged through the port 53 when the valve 55 is in unseatedposition. When the liquid rises within the float chamber 26, it isnecessary to effect closure of the valve 55, otherwise the liquid wouldcontinue to rise and flow outwardly through the port 53. The stem or rod56 is therefore provided with a float 6!) having suflicient buoyancy toraise the valve and efiect seating thereof so as to prevent discharge ofliquid out of the bleeder port.

The valve 55 may also be operated by the shutoff valve 23 when theshutoff valve is unseated to rise within the liquid within the floatchamber until the upper end of the float valve engages a cushioningspring GI which is suspended from the lower end of the float 60, thespring being suficiently rigid to effect seating of the bleeder valveunder operation of the float valve. Threaded into the upper end of thefitting 4B is a check 'valve fitting 62 having a seat 63 and ball 64which prevents intake of air into the float chamber 20 under the suctioneffect of the liquid flowing through the pipe line but which opens whenpressure accumulates in the float chamber.

In order to exclude m'oistureand the like from entering the floatchamber, the outlet port of the check valve fitting may be provided withan L 65'carrying a lateral pipe nipple '66 which mounts on the outer endthereof an L 61 carrying a downturned nipple .68.

Assuming that the control device is constructed and assembled asdescribed, and. that it is connected between the pipe lines I and 2 asshown in the drawings, and that the tank to which the pipe I isconnected is empty, the float valve 23 is closing the port I5 since anyliquid remaining in the housing is not sufficient to float the valve.Therefore air cannot be drawn by the pumps through the tanks intothe'pipe' line 2. Any gas pressure tending to accumulate in the tankwill be vented through the float chamber 20 and bleeder valve body 5I tothe atmosphere.

When the tank I ,is filled with liquid, the liquid. flows through thepipe I and rises within the float chamber 20. The liquid rising in thefloat chamber may tend to foam and the foam will push upwardly thereinbut very little foam can pass into the relatively'small inlet ports 59of the bleeder, consequently the foam will be trapped within the spaceat the top of the float chamber and be consolidated with the liquidrising therein; When it becomes desirable to empty the tank, the handle31 will be drawn upwardly to raise the operating rod 35against action ofthe spring 42 so as to raise the check valve 43 and bring the sleeve ,45thereon upwardly through they outlet port I5 to engage and effectunseating of the valve 23. The valve23 upon disenga emeet with the :seatbobs through V the liquidzdn the ifloat ,chamber and :is [kept inatheifiowof liquidisin LODQOSitiOH tothe direction .:o'f movement of thecheckvalve float 43,, it will cremain in guided position on :theLflng'er .of the lifting .zrod when the spring 14.2 :returns theunaseating mechanism to its original position upon releasing ofthehandle However, should the :fiow tend to reverse, the lifting actionof the liquidon the check valve 143 will cause it :to rise and engagethe 55217719 :to prevent back .flow into athe pipe :I\. Whenthepressureldropsiin the pipe 12 .the :check float returns'to its normalposition. c When the :oilisgfiowing itrom the tank through :the port l5,it teddies .therethrough and .the eddy currentslflowing around :thecheck valve 43causes it :to spin npon the pin or 'sfinger 32. The check--valve .-is therefore .kept :free from gumming up with parafiin orcorrosion :and is always in op- :erating condition.

From the foregoing it is :obvious that 'I have provided .a simple andinexpensive flow control :device which embodies a shutoff valve,checkvalve, and bleeding apparatus all :in a self-contained .unit whichis easily manufactured :and iinstallediin .a pipe line.

What :I claim and desire :to :secure :by Letters ,Patentis:

:1. A .;control :device :of the character described including, a casinghaving an upper inlet and a lower .foutlet, means ior-ming upper andlower :valve seats within the casing at a point inter- :mediateitheinlet :andou'tlet, a float valve in the pasi'ng on Jahe inlet side andadapted to engage the seat on the inlet si-de in the-absence of flow of.liquid through the inlet, meansfor unseating the valve including areciprocatorymember exztending into the casing at a point below saidseats and having .a laterally "directed arm terminating sinafingerlcoaxially of said seats and adapted to unseat the float valveupon reciprocation of said member in one direction, a buoyant checkvalve having a sliding support on said finger-for ,engaging the seat onthe outlet 'side responsive to back fiowof liquid into the outlet,;a.s'tufling box carried by the casing and forming a seal about thereciprocatory member, and a spring for mov- Iingthe reciprocatory memberin the opposite direction forretractin'g said fin'ger 2. A controldevice ofthe character described including, a "casing having .upperT-shaped ise'c'ti'on'tp provide a lateral branch for connec- -tion withan'inlet pipe'and an upper branch and a lower branch, said casingincluding a lower L-shaped section to provide a branch in connectionwith the lower branch of the T-shaped section and a lateral branchforming an outlet, a tubular member connected with the upper branch ofthe T-shaped section for forming a float valve chamber, a float valve insaid chamber, means in the lower branch of the T-shaped section forminga port and an encircling seat for said float valve, an actuating memberincluding a stem extending into the lateral branch'of the L-shapedsection and having a laterally directed portion terminating in anupstanding finger in coaxial relation with the port, a stuffing boxconnected with said lateral branch of the L- shaped section for sealingaround said stem, a spring housing connected with said lateral branchand extending upwardly alongside of the T-.-shaped section, an actuatingrod extending co axially within the spring housing and having *6gconnection with .said stem, :asspring ain athelzspring :housing toretain :said stem in yretracted 13081171911, and a cap closing :the,upper end .of the spring mousing iandi'forming a lbearing for :theupper end .ofsaidzactuatingrod.

, 53. A controlrdev'ice .Lof T116 acha-racter described .aincluding, a:casing having an :upper fir-ishaped section :to' provide ailateralrbranch for connection with an inlet zpipe and an upper :branchand a lower v,branch,'sa'id casing including a lower L.- shaped section:to provide a branch in :conneotion with the lower branch of :thereshaped section and alateral zbranchr'forming :an outlet, a tubular-member1connected with the upper branch of the T-shaped section forforming a float valvechamvber, .a tfloat valve "in said chamber, meansin the lower branch of ,the T-ishaped :section forming a port and anencircling :seat :for .said float valve, an actuating member including;a stem extending into the lateral branch of the L-shaped section andhaving alaterally directed portion terminating in "an upstanding fingerin coaxial relation with the port, .astuffing box connected with saidlateral branch -of the ;L -shaped section forseal- Ling around saidstem,a spring housing connected with said lateral branchand extendingupwardly alongside of the I-shapedsection, an actuating rod extending.coaxially within :the spring housing' and having connection' wit-h saidstem, a :springin the :spring .housing to retain said stem in retractedposition,:a capclosingtheiupper end of .thespring housing-and forming abearing -for the upper end of said actuating rod, and venting meansconnected .Withthe upperend ofthefloat chamber foriventingigas from thecasing.

4. A control device of the character-described including, a casinghavingan upper *r-shaped :sectiontoprovidea :lateralbranchior connectionwith .an inlet pipe and an upper branch and a lower branch, said casingincluding a' lower L- .shaped section to :provide a branch in-connectionwith the lower :branchof the 'T-shaped-section :and 'alateral branchforming -an-outlet, a tubular .meniber connected with the zu-pper branchof the fr-shapedsection foriormingafloat valve chamber,-;a float valvein saidchamber, means in the casing forming a port .and encirclingoppositely facing seats, an actuating mem-ber including a :stemextending into the lateral branch of the L-shaped section and 'havingalaterally directed portion terminating in an upstanding finger incoaxial relation with the-port to unseat the float valve from the upperseat, a stufiing box con- ;nected with said lateral branch of the-L-shaped .section-i'for sealingaround said stem, a spring housingconnected with said lateral branch and extending upwardly alongside ofthe T-shaped section, an actuating rod extending coaxially within thespring housing and having connection with said stem, a spring in thespring housing to retain said stem in retracted position, a cap closingthe upper end of the spring housing and forming a bearing for the upperend of said actuating rod, and a buoyant check valve slidable on saidfinger and adapted to engage the lower of said seats.

5. A control device of the character described including, a casinghaving an upper lateral branch for connection with an inlet pipe andhaving a lower lateral branch for connection with an outlet pipe, atubular member connected with the casing above the upper branch forforming a float valve chamber, a float valve in said chamber, means inthe casing between said branches for forming a valve port and anencircling valve seat for seating said float valve, an actuating memberincluding a stem extending into the lower lateral branch and having alaterally directed arm terminating in an upstanding finger in coaxialrelation with the port, a stuffing box connected with said lateralbranch for sealing around said stem, a spring housing enclosing thestufiing box and extending upwardly alongside of the casing, anactuatingrod extending coaxially within the spring housing and havingconnection with said stem, a spring in the spring housing to retain saidstem in retracted position, and a cap closing the upper end of thespring housing and forming a bearing for the upper end of said actuatingrod.

6. A control device of the character described including a casing havingan upper inlet and a lower outlet, means forming a valve seat within thecasing at a point intermediate the inlet and outlet, a combination checkand stop valve in the casing on the outlet side of said seat, said valvebeing buoyant to engage said seat upon backflow of liquid from theoutlet, and a reciprocatory member extending into the casing at a pointbelow said seat andhaving a laterally directed arm terminating in anupwardly extending finger coaxially of said seat, said valve having aguide sleeve fixed thereto and reciprocable on the finger to and fromseating relation with the valve seat, said guide sleeve having a closedupper end, said guide finger and sleeve having relative lengths wherebythe valve operates as a check independently of said reciprocatory memberand whereby the finger is adapted to engage said closed end to seat thevalve upon operation of the reciprocatory member.

7. In a control'device of the character described a casing having anupper inlet and a lower outlet, means forming a valve seat within thecasing at a point intermediate the inlet,v a buoyant valve in the casingonthe outlet side of said seat and adapted to engage said seat uponbackfiow of liquid from the outlet when the valve is in use, and afinger in the casing coaxially of said seat, said valve having a guidesleeve fixed thereto and reciprocable on said finger, said guide sleevehaving a closed upper end and having a length relative to the length ofthe finger whereby the valve is retained in guided position by thefinger when the valve operates as a check.

8. In a control device of the character described a casinghaving anupper inlet and a lower outlet, means forming a valve seat within thecasing at a point intermediate the inlet, a buoyant valve in the casingon the outlet side of said seat and adapted to engage said seat uponbackflow of liquid from the outlet when the valve isin use, a finger inthe casing coaxially of said seat, said valve having a guide sleevefixed thereto and reciprocable on said finger, said guide sleeve havinga closed upper end and having a length relative to the length of thefinger whereby the valve is retained in guided position by the fingerwhen the valve operates as a check, and. means connected with the fingerfor shifting the finger against said closed end of the guide sleeve tolift said valve into seating engagement with said seat.

9. A device for automatically shutting oiffiow of a liquid when the flowof liquid ceases in'one direction and to prevent backflow of the liquidfrom the opposite direction including a casing having an inlet and anoutlet spaced below the inlet, means in connection with the casingintermediate the inlet and outlet forming opposed valve seats inencircling relation with and common to a flow port connecting the inletand outlet, a buoyant valve in the casing adapted to float on the liquidadmitted through the inlet to open said port and to float into seatingposition to 'close said port when the flow of liquid tends to ceasethrough the inlet, a combination check and stop valve in the casingseparate from and adapted to engage said seat on the outlet side of thecasing responsive to backflow of the liquid from the outlet, a finger inthe casing coaxially of the seat on the outlet side of said port, saidcombination check and stop valve having a guide sleeve extending fromsaid stop and check valve and adapted to reciprocate on said finger toproject through the fiow port when the combination check and stop valveisseatecl, said guide sleeve having a closed upper end to prevent flowof liquid through said sleeve, and manual means for seating saidcombination check and stop valve and to bring said guide sleeve intocontact with the buoyant valve when said buoyant valve is in seatedposition to efiect manual unseating of the buoyant valve from saidseated position.

JOHN T. CRONKI-IITE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSCandler Feb. 7, 1950

